Anchoring means fob foundation



July 10, 1945. E. SUTTER 2,380,272

ANCHORING MEANS FOR FOUNDATION GARMENTS Filed Oct. 3, 1942 INVENTOR. L .3.

Patented July 10, 1945 ANCHORING MEANS FOR FOUNDATION GARMEN'IIS Edward R. Sutter, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Beau- T-Form Foundations, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application ctober'3, 1942, Serial No. 460,60ii

, 5 Claims.

The invention relates generally to anchoring means for a foundation garment and more particularly to means to be worn on the thigh of the wearer to provide a means to'which garters may be attached inthe absence of stockings.

It is an inherent characteristic of foundation garments to creep up on the wearer due to conclitions created in walking, stooping or sitting. When stockings are worn the garters depending from the foundation garment are attached to the stockings and the two perform complementary functions. The foundation garment holds the stocking: up and at the same time the stockings tend to hold the foundation garment down. With the present trend toward socks or painted leg covering, there is nothing to which the foundation garment may be anchored to aid in holding it against creeping up.

It is ageneral object of this invention, therefore, to provide'a new and improved anchoring means for foundation garments to be worn in the absence of stockings.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an improved anchoring means of thecharacter described which is so constructed as to form a firm anchor without cutting or binding the wearer and without itself tending to creep up on the wearer.

Another object is to provide an anchoring means constructed to grip the leg more firmly as a longitudinal pull is applied to the anchoring means. I

Still another object is to provide an anchoring means having limited stretchin a longitudinal direction and no stretch circumferentially.

A further object is to provide an anchoring means composed of two pieces of material of equal length, eachhaving limited stretch longitudinally but no "stretch circumferentially of the means, and sewn together on the bias, to have a uniform pu1l.-

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which: i

Fig. l is an elevational view depicting the anchoring means in position on a wearer.

, Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one of the anchoring means shown in Fig. 1 on a greatly enlarged scale, approximately actual size.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken approximately along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, it is here shown and will hereinafter be described in a preferred embodiment. It is not intended, however, that the invention be limited thereby to the specific disclosure made, but, on the contrary it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims. v

Heretofore women have customarily worn socks rimarily only when engaged in athletic activities, and thusat atime when a foundation garment was not worn. However, with the wearing of socks or the painting of the legs replacing the customary long stockings for street and business wear, and thus at a time when it is still desirable to wear a foundation garment, there has arisen a need for some means to which a foundation garment might be anchored or fas tened and which would then serve the same function as the long stockings, namely, toaid in keeping the foundation garment from creeping 1110. Such an anchoring means is herein disclosed and takes the general form of a wide, continuous band 5 to be worn (see Fig. 1) one around each thigh of the wearer at about the normal position of a stocking top. In this position of the band 5 a foundation garment B may beattached or anchored to the band through the medium of the conventional garters 1 depending from the foundation garment.

For purposes and advantages which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the band is preferably composed-of two similar pieces 8 each composing when sewn together half of the band. Each piece 8 is of great width, on the order of six inches, in order to give an even and distributed pressure on the thigh to prevent binding or cutting into the flesh. Atthe same time this great width provides alarge contact and hence frictional area which also serves tcprevent slipping or creeping of the'band itself. The length of the pieces 8 will, of course, vary slightly to provide bands of different sizes.

Each piece 8, moreover, is constructed to have a limited stretch in a direction longitudinally or on the bias and with the bias cut in opposite directions to result in a slightly tapering piece, that is, one having a trapezoidal shape symmetrical with respect to a transverse center line. The bias cuts are made transversely of the threads woven under tension so that the pieces when assembled will produce a band having the characteristics of limited transverse stretch and substantially no circumferential stretch above mentioned.

The pieces are sewn together b internal Merrow scams 9 with the sides of corresponding length at the same end. This gives to the band a bias construction, that is, it gives to the band when expanded a slightly tapering or a frustoconical shape, as best seen in Fig. 2. This biased or conical construction shapes the band to the contour of the thigh, improving the fit thereof and having the additional advantage that when so shaped it more firmly grips the thigh upon the application of a longitudinal pull on the band.

The absence of stretch in a circumferential direction aids greatly in keeping the band from creeping up, while the longitudinal stretch gives to the band many of the characteristics of a stocking top and particularly the yieldability desirable to accommodate the stresses that are set up in Walking, bending and sitting. This longitudinal stretch also cooperates with the bias construction to cause a tighter gripping of the'thigh by the band when a longitudinal pull is applied to the band. It is also be noted that the twopiece construction results in a symmetrical band the bias of which is the same throughout the circumference of the band, and thus assures a uniform pull which would not be obtainable were the band to be made of a single piece of material. The band is finished preferably by applying a binding tape ID to each end of the band to pro-' vide reinforced, smooth edges, as well as a reinforced means to which the clips of the garters 1 may be secured.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that I have perfected an anchoring means for foundation garments which may be worn with comfort by the garters depending from the garment comprising a wide band composed of two pieces of jersey material, each being woven to be limitedly stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the band and substantially non-stretchable in a direc tion circumferentially of the band, each piece having both of its ends cut on the bias with the bias at one end opposed to the bias at the other to re sult in a taper of the piece of material, and the two pieces sewn together by diametrically opposed seams with the sides of corresponding length at the same end so the band has a tapering shape, and a binding tape at the large end of the band.

2. A means to be worn about the thigh and to which a foundation garment may be anchored by the garters depending from the garment comprising a wide band composed of two pieces of material, each being woven to be limitedly stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the band and substantially non-stretchable in a direction circumferentially of the band, each piece having the shape of atrapezoid symmetrical about a transverse center line, and the two pieces sewn together by diametrically opposed seams with the sides of corresponding length at the same end so as to have a frusto-conical shape when expanded.

3. A means to be worn about the thigh and to which a foundation garment may be anchored by the garters depending from the garment comprising a wide band composed of two pieces of material, each being woven to be limitedly stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the band and substantially non-stretchable in a direction circumferentially of the band, each'piece having both of its ends cut on the bias with the bias at one end opposed to the bias at the other to result in a taper of the piece of material, and the two pieces sewn together by diametrically opposed seams with the sides of corresponding length at the same end so the band has a tapering shape.

4. A means to be worn about the thigh and to which a foundation garment may be anchored by the garters depending from the garment comprising a band approximately six inches in width composed of two pieces of material, each constructed to be limitedly stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the band and substantially non-stretchable in a direction circumferentially of the band, each piece having both of its ends cut on the bias to give a taper to the piece of material, and the two pieces sewn together by diametrically opposed seams with the sides of corresponding length at the same end so the band has a tapering shape.

5. An anchoring means for a foundation garment to be worn on the thigh in the absence of stockings comprising a wide band of thin, flexible material stretchable in a direction longitudinally of the band and having substantially no stretch circumferentially, the band tapering from its upper to its lower edge to conform to the shape of the thigh.

EDWARD R. SUTTER. 

